Page 70 of Incubus
An easy laugh fell from Sasha’s lips and he went to sit beside Nathan on the bed that Jim wasn’t currently passed out on. “Look, Nathan, I…I’m really sorry about before,” he said, having left a good foot between them when he sat down, and sagging forward to rest his arms on his legs. “It just all happened so fast, and he...made me so mad, you know? The way he looked at me…”
“Hey. Don’t you get it by now?” Nathan said. “Forget Gabriel. He didn't even say two words to you and you're flipping out? Jim and I aren’t going to wake up one day and suddenly decide that liking you isn’t worth our time. EvenIlearned my lesson on that.”
Sasha slouched further, staring at the carpet. “I guess...it’s hard for me to believe that people I get close to won’t all eventually leave.”
Nathan wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he simply nodded.
They sat silently for a while. Nathan was so tired, he didn’t think he could sleep. With his eyes drifted off somewhere on the other side of the room, he jerked back to himself at the sudden feeling of warm fingers taking his hand.
“Is it sore?” Sasha asked, his voice barely above a whisper. That foot between them lessened as Sasha scooted closer, turning Nathan’s hand over and pressing his thumb lightly into Nathan’s palm. Blue eyes fluttered up to look at Nathan andSasha smiled. “You know, from when you punched me so hard, I heard your knuckles crack. It did hurt, in case you were wondering.”
“Probably not as much as I wanted it to,” Nathan grumbled, but his words came out fast and breathy, losing most of their bite.
Sasha turned his touch into gentle rubbing, massaging Nathan’s hand. “I deserved it. I can get kind of intense. One of the many reasons I used to work alone. Sometimes it’s easier when someone isn’t there to yell at you for being an idiot.” Sasha scooted even closer. “But I like this better.”
“Haha…” That uncomfortable laugh found its way out of Nathan like it hadn’t since Sasha first hit on him. Time was inching toward four in the morning and Nathan was not in his right mind to deal with what was happening between them. He also really needed Sasha to stop rubbing his hand.
“I know it's a heavy thing to say, but...I think we’re going to have to kill him,” Sasha said, not needing to elaborate on who he meant.
“Would it weird you out if I said ‘good’?”
“Not at all," Sasha said seriously. "You've never had a real opportunity to fight back without risking your brother, but the game is different now. With Jim's powers and me along for the ride, Gabriel is only going to keep coming harder. He wants Jim dead. Maybe wants me dead now too."
"Neither of those is going to happen," Nathan said. "Not on my watch.”
“Your watch, huh?” Sasha repeated, grinning sideways at Nathan while he finally released his hand. He nudged Nathan in the shoulder and Nathan took a moment to notice that the once foot between them had become pretty much nothing. “I sincerely hope you don’t think of me too much like a brother.”
That uncomfortable laugh tumbled out of Nathan again. “Uhh…I wouldn't say that,” he said. "You don't happen to know anything about Gabriel we could use, do you? Any background? I haven't had much chance to ask for his life story while we've been running from him in fear of being shot every few months."
Sasha mulled that over. "I don't know if there's anything that would help us. I just know he was born into a family of seals, raised to hunt fae because they're purists, a carrier family like you and Jim but hell-bent on making sure that the fae part of their bloodline dies out. They're especially harsh on family members who try and marry someone from another carrier family. The risk of creating a changeling is too great."
"So that's why he's so gung-ho about Jim," Nathan said. "I still can't believe you know him. It's like you've been moving parallel to us half our lives and our paths just never crossed. I'd get all sappy with crap about you joining up with us being fated, but I hate that kind of stuff. I'm in control of my own life, not some invisible hand of destiny."
"I can understand that," Sasha said. "So...what exactly did this psychic tell you about me? Besides me being the person who can help you."
"Oh." Nathan looked forward into the dark of the room, not sure how much to share, but at this point it seemed silly to keep anything from Sasha. "You came up as part of theDevilcard actually."
"TheDevilcard?"
"Well, the traditional picture does have horns and wings. Kind of looks like you.”
Sasha laughed.
"Wade said...that the card represented both the person who could help me, and the enemy. Whoever he is, he's all those traditional things about the card that you aren't. TheDevil. Some evil son of a bitch sidhe who owns my soul. Wade said Ihad to find you to save myself, but I have to find him eventually, too. You don't...also know Wade, do you?" Nathan asked with a sudden sense of dread.
“No," Sasha said humorously. "No psychics named Wade.”
“Just checking.”
“I wish the circumstances were different, but I’m glad she pointed you in my direction.”
When Sasha smiled, Nathan allowed the subtle movement of the incubus’ hand on top of his. Their eyes met and Nathan thought,I can do this. It’s just a damn hand. They had kissed, after all. They had really kissed, no bet, no pheromones. And if Jim hadn’t come in with Alex and a warning of Gabriel, Nathan might have…
Jesus.
Then Sasha’s hand was moving, lacing their fingers together tightly, all the while with blue eyes staring hungrily back at Nathan.
“Bed?” Nathan croaked, tearing his hand away as if the touch burned. “I mean…we should probably…sleep. Yeah. Sleep…would be good.”
